Kuwait’s Sept. trade surplus with Japan nearly double

Kuwait’s trade surplus with Japan in September nearly doubled from a year earlier to JPY 64.7 billion (USD 566 million) on robust exports, government data showed Wednesday.

The surplus surged by 180.7 percent, up for the sixth straight month, and Kuwait posted black ink with Japan for 13 years and eight months, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report.

Kuwaiti overall exports to Japan jumped 110.1 percent year-on-year to JPY 74.7 billion (USD 653 million) for the sixth straight month of expansion. Imports from Japan declined 20.0 percent to JPY 10.0 billion (USD 87 million), down for the first time in seven months.

Middle East’s trade surplus with Japan inflated 146.6 percent to JPY 660.2 billion (USD 5.8 billion) last month, with Japan-bound exports from the region soaring surging 95.7 percent from a year earlier.

Crude oil, refined products, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other natural resources, which accounted for 95.1 percent of the region’s total exports to Japan, surged 98.1 percent. The region’s overall imports from Japan fell 4.7 percent on sluggish car shipments.

Japan posted a global trade deficit of JPY 622.8 billion (USD 5.4 billion) in September for the second consecutive month of red ink, as car exports plunged 40.3 percent due to supply chain disruptions in Southeast Asia.

However, exports from the world’s third-biggest economy still rose 13.0 percent from a year earlier, thanks to sales of steel and mineral fuels.

Imports also grew 38.6 percent on higher bills of crude oil, medicine and coal.

China remained Japan’s biggest trade partner, followed by the US.

The trade data are measured on a customs-cleared basis before adjustment for seasonal factors.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

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